Vehicle-spring



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. STORM.

VEHIGLE SPRING.

No. 344,216. Patented June 22, 1886.

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E. STORM.

VEHICLE SPRING. No. 344,216. Patented June 22, 1886.

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E. STORM.

VEHICLE SPRING,

No. 344,216. Patented June 22; 1886.

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I Wiinesses 1711/6 71/ 6 0 r UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

EDlVARD STORM, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NE\V YORK.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 344,216, dated June 22,1886.

Application filed August 26, 1885. Serial No. 175,355). (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD STORM, of Poughkeepsie. in the county ofDutchess and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovementiu \Vagons, Carriages, &c., of which the followingisaspecification.

My improvements relate to the means whereby wagon, carriage, and othervehicle bodies are supported from the running-gear of the carriages.

I will describe myimprovementin conjunction with such parts of acarriage as are necessary to an understanding of the improvement, andthen point out the various features of the improvement in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is avicw of a combination ofsprings forming part of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a front elevationillustrating the application of the combination of springs shown in Fig.1 to a side-bar wagon. Fig. 8 is an inverted plan of the parts shown inFig. 2. Fig. 4is a view showing how the combination of springsillustrated in Fig. 2 may be applied to another kind of wagon.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

I will first describe my improvement as it is illustrated by Figs. 1, 2,and 3.

A A designate a spring consisting, essentially, of two sections, A A,which area considerable distance apart at the middle, con verge towardthe ends, and there have hingeconnections. Each section may be composedof ahydesirablenumberof leaves. The hinge connect-ions are formed bybending the ends of the principal leaves of the sections into circularform-one outside the otherand passing bolts 0 through them. This springis somewhat like what is ordinarily known as an elliptic spring, but itdiffers from such aspringinmanyimportant particulars. Each of itssections has a flat central portion, a, and straight inclined portionsa, extending therefrom. The inclined portions of the two sectionsconverge toward each other. The ends of the opposite main sections, justinward of where they bend into circular form around the bolts 0, extendinto contact or close proximity. In respect to the shape of the sectionsit possesses advantages over the ordinary elliptic spring. I shall bebetter able to show these advantages later.

B designates another spring composed of any desirable number of leaves.It has a central flat portion, 1), and straight upwardly-inclinedportions b. The flat portions Z) of the springB is securedin contactwith the flat portion a of the sectionA of the spring AA by bolts D,passing through holes, or by any other suitable means. ThespringBisconsiderablylonger than the spring A A. One pair or combinationof springs, A A and B, is arranged between each axle G of a wagon andthe side bars, H, thereof. The springs which are over the rear axle aresecured to that axle by clips passing around the axle; butthe springswhich are over the front axle are shown as secured thereto by a boltpassing through the section A of the spring A A and this axle, as may beseen in Fig. 2. The ends of the springs B are secured to the side bars,H, by clips I, or otherwise.

The wagon-body K may be supported from the side bars, H, in any suitablemanner-as,

for instance, by means of straps J, made of metal or other appropriatematerial, secured to the wagon-body and the side bars. Owing to the flatportions or b of the springs A A and B, the tendency of the wagon-bodyto vibrate or sway laterally during the travel of the wheels over unevenground is lessened. I am enabled to arrange the central portion of thesections A A of the springs A A closer together, owing to the existenceof the flat portion a. The ilat portion 1) of the spring B also enablesthe wagon-body to be arranged nearer to the center of this spring. Thewagon-body may therefore be arranged quite low.

The springs A A cushion the spring B, and the whole combination ofsprings produces a very easy and steady wagon.

\Vhen the sections of the spring A A are I subjected to weight, they areforced into more intimate contact near the bolts 0, and more or less oftheir surfaces will be forced into contact as the weight or the force ofthe weight varies. Under great force the sections will have an extendedcontact, and the space throughout which the sections remain sepa ratewill be considerably lessened. Thus the operative length of the sectionsof the spring A A becomes shortened, and the spring con sequentlybecomes stiffer as the force of the weight becomes greater. This springcan be made short, light, and small transversely,and withal will bestifl'. It will be desirably resilient under a light load, and yetstiffer for a heavier load.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the same combination of springs applied toanother kind of wagon lacking side bars. The only difference consists inproviding the wagon-body K with body-loops L, which are secured byclipsor otherwise to the springs.

The springs B are made considerably longer than the springs A A M, inorder that the springs B may perform to the greater extent the resilientor yielding functions of the conibined spring, while the short and stiffsprings AA M offer the" chief resistance to strain. Each, therefore,complements the other in such manner as to render the combined springvery easy, lasting, and durable.

Of course my improvement is not confined in its application to anyparticular type or kind of vehicle.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combinatiomwith the axle of awagon or other vehicle, and a body,or side bars supporting a body, of a spring supported by the axle,composed of two sections hinged to gether and severally having a centralflat portion and straight inclined end portions, and

another spring considerably longer than the spring first mentioned,having a central fiat portion and upwardly-inclined end portions, theflat central portions of one of the sections of the spring firstmentioned being secured to the flat central portion of the spring lastmentioned, said springs extending transversely to the length of the bodyof the wagon or other vehicle, substantially as specified.

increased the portions of the two sections of the spring firstmentioned, which are near the ends, thereof, will be brought intocontact, increasing proportionally with the force applied to the springin such manner that the spring first mentioned will be shortened and itsresistance to strain augmented.

EDWVARD STORM.

Witn sses:

WM. S. LIPsEY, J AS. E. BOWEN.

